Rossendale Borough Council has announced that it has secured a grant of just under £1 million from the Football Foundation to support the development of a new 3G pitch at the Adrenaline Centre
During parts of the winter, grass pitches in Rossendale often become unplayable due to poor weather conditions, disrupting games and training. The introduction of a new full-size 3G artificial pitch will solve this problem by providing a high-quality, all-weather surface that’s available year-round.
This will be the first new full-size 3G pitch in Rossendale for 16 years and will offer local players and clubs a much-needed reliable facility, whatever the season.
Council Leader Alyson Barnes said: “This is great news for Rossendale. The grant from the Football Foundation is a real vote of confidence in our borough and in the grassroots football community here.
“It’s taken a lot of work to reach this stage, and we are incredibly grateful to all the clubs across Rossendale who supported the application with their time, insights and testimony. Their involvement was instrumental in securing this funding, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”
While the funding is now confirmed, work on the pitch will not begin until all planning conditions have been met. These include ensuring the site is safe and accessible throughout the construction and once the facility is in use.
Once completed, the new pitch is expected to accommodate around 80 hours of football activity per week. The facility will be a key asset for community sport in Rossendale.
The Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity, is dedicated to transforming grassroots football facilities across England through a partnership between the Premier League, The FA, and the UK Government via Sport England.
This latest investment is a demonstration of the federations mission to improve the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of football infrastructure across the country.
The Council have stated that they are working closely with Lancashire County Council to progress this as quickly as possible.
The development represents a significant step forward for sport in Rossendale and reinforces the council's physical activity strategy and commitment to supporting healthy, active communities through high-quality local facilities.